Nigel Farage live: Reform leader has drink thrown at him in Clacton as he pledges to be ‘bloody nuisance’

Nigel Farage took to social media to make light of his milkshake gaffe.

While launching his electoral campaign in Clacton-on-Sea, Farage had what appeared to be a banana milkshake thrown in his face.

Several hours later, the Reform leader got himself a milkshake of his own and declared “my milkshake brings all the people to the rally” in a short clip.

Nigel Farage launched his eighth bid to become an MP today with a promise to replace the Conservative Party in a “revolution” which will shake British politics.

The Reform UK leader launched his bid to get into parliament in front of cheering crowds on Clacton pier on the Essex coast, declaring it to be “a revolution to change British politics”.

The event – which was open to members of the public, who attended in their hundreds crowding into the street, lining footbridges and slopes around the launch – contrasted hugely with the stage-managed events of Rishi Sunak and Sir Keir Starmer.

But the event was derailed by what appeared to be a banana milkshake being thrown in his face, revealing not everyone in the seaside town welcomed him.

David Maddox reports:

An Essex Police statement said: “Officers have made two arrests after responding to a report a drink was thrown at a man in Clacton.

“We were called to the area of Marine Parade East, Clacton, at around 2.10pm today (Tuesday 4 June).

“It was reported a man had a drink thrown over him as he left a premises in the area.

“A 25-year-old woman, from Clacton, was arrested at the scene on suspicion of assault.

“While officers were responding and making this arrest, a second individual, a man, was arrested on suspicion of assaulting an emergency worker.

“Both individuals remain in custody for questioning.”

Two people have been arrested after Nigel Farage had a milkshake thrown over him as he launched his general election campaign.

Essex Police investigating the incident said they had arrested a 25-year-old woman, from Clacton, at the scene on suspicion of assault on Tuesday.

While officers were responding and making this arrest, a second individual, a man, was arrested on suspicion of assaulting an emergency worker, said the force. Both individuals remain in custody for questioning.

Nigel Farage said he would make sure Sir Keir Starmer does not shift the UK closer to the European Union, if he is elected as an MP.

The Reform UK leader said: “Brexit destroyed Labour, it split Labour very, very badly.

“I’m going to be there, as a voice, making sure that Starmer doesn’t take us closer back to the European Union.”

Mr Farage also said it was “entirely possible” to reduce net migration to zero which “still leaves lots of room for special skills where we may have a shortage”.

Reform UK leader Nigel Farage said he would be a “champion” for Clacton, which he described as a “forgotten, end-of-the-line town”.

Speaking from the Moon and Starfish pub in the Essex town, he said: “I had to decide, do I want to stand as a Member of Parliament and spend every Friday working in Clacton? Huge decision for me, huge decision for me, I’ve decided, I do.”

He added: “I’ll be here as many Fridays as I can, of course I will. My message to the people of Clacton is, ‘these people here supported me in Ukip and the local MP at the time, Douglas Carswell’.

“They supported me hugely in the Brexit referendum campaign, and they want someone to stand up for their beliefs, and they don’t see that in today’s Conservative Party, they certainly don’t see that in today’s Labour Party.

“I will be their champion on the national issues and on the local issues, having a national figure representing a forgotten, end-of-the-line town, who knows I may well be able to bring some investment and do some good.”

Nigel Farage launched his eighth bid to become an MP today with a promise that he plans to replace the Conservative Party in a revolution which will shake British politics.

The Reform UK leader launched his bid to get into parliament in front of cheering crowds on Clacton pier on the Essex coast declaring it to be “a revolution to change British politics”.

The event open to the ordinary members of the public, who attended in their hundreds crowding into the street, and lining footbridges and slopes around the launch, contrasted hugely with the stage managed events of Rishi Sunak and Sir Keir Starmer.

David Maddox reports:

A member of staff at the pub where Nigel Farage had a milkshake hurled at him described the moment unfold.

The Moon & Starfish worker, who wished to remain anonymous, told The Independent three police officers came into the pub looking for a person after the milkshake was hurled.

While he wasn’t close to the Reform UK leader at the time, from afar, he said: “I saw liquid fly through the air and hit a few customers.”

Richard Tice, Nigel Farage’s predecessor as Reform UK leader, said: “The juvenile moron who threw a drink over Nigel has just gained us hundreds of thousands more votes.

“We will not be bullied or threatened off the campaign trail.”

The Reform UK leader’s return to frontline politics is less about influencing the general election than it is about reshaping the Tories in opposition – and steering them to the right. But, says John Rentoul, here’s why he will fail:

Nigel Farage has lost none of his skill in the art of politics as drama. Had he been leader of Reform UK at the time the general election was called, announcing sooner that he would be a candidate in Clacton, by now he would be struggling to persuade journalists to come to his news conferences.

Read more here: